Fox Sports football commentator Simon Hill sits down with Melbourne Victory playmaker Marcos Flores in the latest instalment of a series of articles with A-League players and coaches.

Let's go back to your early days in Reconquista, Argentina - how did you get into football?

Reconquista is the city where Gabriel Batistuta was born. I started playing even before I was born - my mum always complained I was kicking in her stomach! I started to think at the age of 12 about being a professional. But I thought it was impossible because my town was so far from the pro clubs.

At 13, my dad asked what I wanted to be, and I said "a doctor - like you!" So, he brought me to the hospital to see what life would be like as a doctor. He asked a woman if I could watch the birth of her child. She agreed, and I nearly passed out with the sight of all the blood - I never wanted to go back. I think my dad did it on purpose!

Who were your heroes growing up?

When I was a child I was a guy who collected football jerseys. My hero, my inspiration, was the Uruguayan, Enzo Francescoli. I got the jersey of his River Plate club, and I got my sister to draw a number 9, and write his name on it - but sadly, when it rained they faded away!

At 14, you earned a trial with San Lorenzo - why did that not work out?

I stayed for a fortnight, and they put me in the room where (current Manchester City star) Pablo Zabaleta slept. He was away at the time, but when he came back from a national camp he threw me out! I only played 20 minutes in two weeks there, and they rejected me, but I refused to accept that it was over. You have to keep trying, and learn.

You finally got your big break at Union de Santa Fe? Do you remember your debut?

Yes, I was on the bench and the team was playing Tiro Federal in the second Division. We were winning 1-0, and the coach, Miguel Olleras says "you want to play?" I was so shocked, I swallowed my chewing gum! I didn't touch the ball for the first ten minutes, then, a teammate crashed into an opponent, and the ball came to me. I played the ball forward to my striker - and he scored! I got an assist with my first touch - and later, I scored the third goal. It was like a dream! Afterwards, I did my first interview. It was so embarrassing - I said "to be honest" about 25 times in three minutes.

You then moved onto the Argentine first division with Newells Old Boys?

I was the golden boy one minute at Union - but the next season I was back with the youth team. Nery Pumpido (the Argentine goalkeeper from the 1986 World Cup) was a former Union player, and when he became coach at Newells, he signed me on a three-year contract. When I first played, it was against River Plate in Rosario, in front of 50,000. I played next to Oscar Cardozo the Paraguayan (now with Benfica), but then Pumpido quit. The youth coach took over, and kicked a few of us out. I went back to Union on loan, as I preferred to go back to the second division in order to play, rather than wait.

A-League Ladder

P

W

D

L

GD

Pts

1

Perth

19

10

6

3

8

36

2

Melbourne Victory

18

9

6

3

15

33

3

Adelaide

19

10

3

6

13

33

4

Wellington

19

10

3

6

12

33

5

Sydney

19

8

8

3

9

32

6

Melbourne City

18

6

6

6

-4

24

7

Brisbane

17

6

4

7

-1

22

8

Central Coast

19

3

7

9

-16

16

9

Newcastle

19

1

8

10

-24

11

10

Western Sydney

17

1

5

11

-12

8

Round 19 - as at 00:00 AM, 01/03/15

So why the move to Chile - with Curico Unido?

Because in my year back on loan with Union, we lost the play-off to get back into the first division. The life of players depends upon success or failure. Because we lost, I went back to Newells, and they didn't want me. I fought to be free for three months ... when I finally won, I decided on Chile.

It was a unique opportunity - Chile was close - and I wanted to learn how to play as a foreigner. I don't regret it - but the strange thing is, one day after I joined Curico, Adelaide United contacted me. I told them they were too late by 24 hours. They were really keen, but I said "if my destiny is Australia, I will be there - and you will come back for me." The Reds came to see me in Chile twice more - they were really professional.

So, you eventually signed for Adelaide in 2010?

Because of Adelaide's initial contact - after every game in Chile I was checking on their progress! I knew all the names of the players - I watched the highlights on You Tube. I was seeing that everyone was using 4-4-2, which scared me to be honest. I told my agent that it was going to be hard for me as a number 10. I thought: 'if I fail in Australia, it could be difficult for me to get back'. That is what has happened to (Patricio) Perez and (Oscar) Cornejo, who is now playing in the fifth or sixth division in Argentina. Cornejo played for San Lorenzo - a big club - but he failed here.

There was some initial talk at Adelaide that Rini Coolen wasn't too impressed with you?

Maybe Rini had doubts about who I was as a person - or about how South Americans work. Because I was friendly with everyone, he told me he thought I was a fake person. I asked him why. He said I was too open with everyone, particularly the supporters. I asked him to judge me as a player. He wasn't sure if I could run enough or whether I was strong enough - but I think I proved him wrong, and to many who thought I was too soft. I adapted. I was humble enough to admit we don't train enough in Argentina. I didn't want to change anything of Australia - I just wanted to adapt.

I was the first person who had a problem with Rini - but later, others did too. He messed up that team, which is a pity, because we were a really good team. But to be fair to him, after I won the Johnny Warren Medal, he said I was a good person, and a good player. He admitted he’d been wrong.

What's the truth about your departure from the Reds?

The truth is they wanted me to re-sign for three years. I said I prefer to stay and play for the same money for just one year more. The media said I wanted too much money ... but the only person who saw that contract was me. Then, they got an offer from China - and they told me I could go. The crazy thing was they had already decided to get Dario Vidosic - he arrived within days. They wanted me out, but no-one wanted to say that.

When I arrived, we were last on the ladder - they signed me and Christopher Katongo, and a new coach, Jo Bonfrere. Katongo is an amazing person and player, who I am so thankful to have met. I think it was a good move. I got out of a club that didn't want me, and I also re-paid Adelaide. They got me for free, and sold me for $400,000 - so they helped me, and I gave back to them.

But Henan were struggling, and it's difficult for a foreigner when things aren't good in a football sense. You don't speak the language, the food is different, the traffic, it's all different, and you can't communicate. When things are going well, you can handle all that, but I wasn't happy with the football - I felt I was wasting my time as a player. People say that I went for money but it isn't true. I realised how much I was in love with Australia and the A-League - and I was so thankful everything happened with Victory.

It's a dream I have. I will not stop until I get it. Ange (Postecoglou) is one of the reasons why I'm here - I played against him when he was in Brisbane, and Roar treated the ball like a princess. That made me jealous - I wanted to be under a coach who knows how to play that way. I feel impatient, anxious to win a title - maybe that is why I am making bad decisions with the ball at the moment...its my desire to win.

Who are the best players you've played with and against?

Against - Juan Roman Riquelme for Boca. I was on the bench though, so I don't know if it counts! I was happy to be a sub - just so I could watch him! With - Oscar Cardozo.

I would like to be a coach - I have already learnt a lot from Ange, and from my past coaches. I have a book that I keep with more than 500 pages in it - I write down ideas and make drawings. I would also love to have an academy to try to help kids. But first, I have to win a title.

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